Tinzaouaten

For the Algerian commune located in In Guezzam Province, see Tin Zaouatine.

Tinzaouaten (var. Tinzawatene and Tin-Zaouatene; Arabic: تين ظواتين) is a Saharan rural commune in the far northeast of Mali on the Algerian border.

Tinzaouaten تين ظواتين ⵜⵉⵏⵣⴰⵡⴰⵜⴰⵏ
Commune and village
Tinzaouaten Location in Mali
Coordinates: 19°56′55″N 2°58′04″E
Country	Mali
Region	Kidal Region
Cercle	Abeïbara Cercle
Control	Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin
Area [1]
• Total	8,750 km2 (3,380 sq mi)
Elevation	618 m (2,028 ft)
Population  (2009 census)[2]
• Total	2,300
• Density	0.26/km2 (0.68/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)

Geography

The commune is in the Abeïbara Cercle of the Kidal Region. It included a stop on a trans-Saharan trade route and a military post on the frontier under the French colonial regime. In 2009 the 8,000 square kilometer commune had a population of 2,300, most of whom are nomadic Tuareg.^[1] The Algerian settlement of Tin Zaoutine is on the Algerian side of the border.^[3]

Recent history

In 2019, Tinzaouaten was the headquarters of the Al-Qaeda-associated terrorist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.^[4]

Main article: Battle of Tinzaouaten (2024)

On July 25, 2024, Tuareg rebels of CSP-DPA ambushed a convoy of FAMA and Russian Wagner mercenaries in Tinzaouaten, beginning a 2-day battle. Over the course of the battle a sandstorm formed, forcing both sides to a temporary pause in fighting until July 26.^[5] The battle ended on July 27 resulting in the loss of several FAMA armored vehicles, a FAMA helicopter and the claimed deaths of 10 FAMA soldiers, up to 25-80+ Wagner Group mercenaries and 20 CSP-DPA soldiers.^[6]